By ERIC WAGNER
Special guest blogger
This week: Chapters 43-48, "Hark" through "The First Lowering."
I had forgotten that Ahab’s father died before Ahab’s birth and his mother died around his first birthday.
This novel seems ahead of its time with its truly multi-cultural cast of characters, although the power resides with white men from New England. Of course, the book contains few women.
The film Jaws comes to mind reading about this sea hunt. I also think about a scene from Citizen Kane. When preparing his declaration of principles, Kane says he wants his newspaper to become as important to the city as the oil in the lamp that lights the room. I suspect at that time in history this meant whale oil.
I wonder how long after the end of the novel Ishmael began to write the story of this voyage. I think he took other whaling voyages after the one recounted in the novel.
The novel gives a snapshot of the nature of early nineteenth century capitalism in the contrast between Starbuck’s sense of the economic purpose of the voyage and Ahab’s quest for revenge. I find it interesting how Ishmael reflects on how he joined in the enthusiasm for the reward Ahab offered for the sighting of Moby Dick.
Once again I ask, is Moby Dick a yacht rock novel?
Next week: Please read Chapters 49-54, "The Hyena" through "The Town-Ho's Story."
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